Life Update: Happy 2019! Where I’ve Been

Happy 2019, everyone! We’re still saying that, right? It’s still January so I’m going to go with, yes. I know it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me on the blog, but let me explain and fill you in on where I’ve been…

When I first launched Pop. Culture. Blush. almost a year ago, the plan was to fully dedicate myself to creating a site that I could pour myself into completely. And as you know, I started Pop. Culture. Blush. during a period where I had just lost my job a few months prior and was taking on some freelance work. Unfortunately, when you have two mouths to feed and bills to pay and the list goes on, a hobby and sporadic freelance checks just don’t cut it. So I went ahead and did what deep in my heart I knew I didn’t want to do, but had to be done — I began looking for a full-time job again. Let’s be honest: Job hunting in and of itself is like full-time work.

That hunt, thankfully, wound up being a success and I landed a job as an entertainment editor for Her Campus Media. I was excited because Her Campus was a brand I had known and loved, and really respected. But sadly, that also meant my time working on Pop. Culture. Blush. would be very limited. Throughout the the months after starting at Her Campus Media (I began with them towards the end of February 2018), I would infrequently publish blog posts. It was just honestly never enough and not where I wanted Pop. Culture. Blush. to be.

Then came the family stuff…

In March, only three months after my grandmother’s passing and two after our dog had passed, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. On top of having a new job and trying to juggle it all, things were ROUGH. I could hardly keep my “head in the game” for Her Campus, much less for Pop. Culture. Blush. You see, my dad and I have an extremely close relationship, and after two losses just prior, all I could think about was how badly I didn’t want to lose him to this horrible disease, and how much I needed to be there for him in the upcoming months.

Doctors ended up placing my dad on an initial chemo treatment plan of six months. Throughout that time, I spent each and every day with him, working from his hospital room and the very next room in his home after he was released, ensuring that he had help and all his needs were met. I prioritized my family and my full-time job, and this left little time for even freelance gigs.

And then came another major life change…

The late summer would wind up bringing about yet another unexpected moment: a cross-country move. Yes, that’s right. For those of you unaware, these days I’m no longer living in NYC. My husband wound up receiving a job opportunity that had us packing our bags and moving to Los Angeles. I was excited because I had dreamed of living in California, but I also carried this immense guilt. Moving 3,000 miles away meant leaving behind my family, including my dad who was just preparing to go for his last round of chemo that was scheduled for those initial six months. So I stayed in New York until that last treatment and to celebrate my dad’s birthday. Being so far away, I knew there was no way I’d be seeing him often at all, so I knew I had to stick around for those important moments. (For those of you wondering, my dad is currently on a two-year maintenance plan where he is still receiving chemo, just not as frequently or aggressively as before.)

Phew… I guess you could say a lot happened in 2018, and I hope this helps with a better understanding as to why I haven’t been as active on Pop. Culture. Blush. as I would like to have been.

This year, as I prepare to celebrate Pop. Culture. Blush.’s first birthday, I promised myself that I would get back to giving this site a little more TLC — while also giving you all new content to come back for again and again.